Adam Scott may serve up kangaroo at The Masters Champions Dinner

We are now six months out from the first major golf championship of 2014 and Adam Scott has fronted the media for the traditional winner’s press conference.

The chat covered a whole host of topics from his reaction to see his winning putt for the first time on TV, getting his Dad to play around at Augusta, his thoughts on the loss of Augusta’s Eisenhower tree and most importantly, his thoughts on what he may be serving up for the pre-tournament champions dinner.

“I’d like to serve something that everyone will really enjoy, and nothing too crazy so that they won’t,” Scott said.

“But probably no surprise to anyone, there’s definitely going to be an Australian theme toward every part of the dinner, and whether that means they are eating kangaroo, I’m not sure yet, but we’ll see.”

Could you tell me where you were when you saw for the first time a replay of your reaction on the 72nd hole when you made the birdie and what you thought about yourself watching you do what you did?

I think it was probably‑‑ it was probably on the CBS Morning Show on like one of the monitors when you’re sitting on their set there when they we play it to show the viewers when it was coming on or whatever it is.
You know, it’s probably slightly out of character, but maybe that was all the years of frustration and everything coming out of not having won a major at that point. You know, I think at those moments, you see how much it means to anyone competing out there, and that was a big one for me obviously. You know, can’t help but smile when I see that. It’s pretty funny.

Your thoughts, a lot of talk this week about Eisenhower Tree coming down, what your reaction was to that, and understand the club probably won’t be coming to you for advice, but what would be your suggestion to replace it?

Well, yeah, it’s obviously an historical tree on the golf course, and these things happen. Anything that lives will eventually die I guess, and this one maybe early. And they have done a lot of work to keep it standing a long time. It’s gone and it will be part of Augusta history forever.
But the course has evolved over all these years with natural changes and man made changes. So it all‑‑ it’s taken on a lot of different looks over the last ten, 15, 20 years and now we’ve got another different look, and, you know, whether they replace it or not, it was a pretty tight hole, so from a golfing standpoint, I kind of think seeing a little bit more of the fairway will be a nice thing.

For a guy who has always been a very private person, how have you dealt with the increased attention that comes with being a Masters Champion, and do you like or dislike this attention?

No, I mean, look, it’s just been received so well, and you know, it’s only been really compliments and praise from anyone, any of the extra attention I’ve got for winning, which has been welcome, I must say. It’s nice to hear nice things, that’s for sure.
Certainly attention at tournaments and things like that has increased but that’s to be expected. That goes with the job. Really there’s been no burden on me outside of that, just managing my time at the events has been an adjustment but other than that, it’s been very smooth sailing.
So you know, like I said, in kind of the intro of this whole conference, it’s been an incredible experience being the Masters Champion for the last 11, 12 months, and it’s something I’ll be trying to do again, for sure, to have that green jacket hanging in the closet is worth any bit of extra stuff you might have to deal with in your professional world.

Do you recall when you did first talk to him [Marc Leishman] about it [his fist pump at the 7nd hole] and what that conversation might have been like? Obviously he would have been congratulating you that day, but do you remember when that might have been?

Yeah, after I got the photo, Marc had even sent me a text in congratulations after the whole thing, and I sent him the photo and a text back just saying that’s incredible, he’s a legend. We’ve talked about it since and we spoke a little bit in public about it in Australia when we were at tournaments down there together.
It’s something incredibly cool, and at the time when you’re winning, everything’s a blur, but to sit back and look at that; I signed him a picture and I wouldn’t normally sign him a picture, but I signed him a picture that he’ll have with that because I just think it’s an incredible gesture.

Can you talk about what that reception felt like when you got to Australia and how much of a surprise it was?

I think I was a little surprised, because I think for the six months or so since, I had moved on and got on with things and the Tour had just rolled on. But down there, it hadn’t. It was just starting again.
So they were all getting revved up, and I think I was completely overwhelmed with the response to all the golf tournaments I played down there, the turnout, the crowds, the support, was just so pleasing to see how well it was all received. And for me to see golf in Australia a little bit like it was when I was a kid, having top players like Norman, Grady and Baker‑Finch kind of leading the way as major championships, and me aspiring to that, it kind of had that feel.
Although I’m looking from inside the ropes this time, and that’s nice to see, because Australian golf is stuck a little between a rock and hard place a little bit with the professional tournaments down there. They struggle to keep going every year, so to see a real boost was nice, and hopefully that kind of trend continues for the next few years.

How often have you tried that green jacket on in front of the mirror?

Well, when I get to Augusta, it will be about 365 times I reckon.

And you’ve talked about that how special it will be when you finally get to go back to Augusta. Have you made any plans to go there beforehand and maybe take someone with you and try to take it all in, and what do you hope to do on a scouting trip to get out of the way before you go back for Masters week?

Yeah, I will definitely go up earlier. Exactly when that is, I’m not sure. It’s going to be sometime after Bay Hill and before the Masters. I’ll try and do what I did in the years previous. I think it would be fun to go up with someone and kind of take it all in, but also I’ve got to focus and take it all in in the right way, as well.
But it’s going to be hard. I’ll probably need two days; I need a day to get my head right and get over the sentimental stuff, and then a day of work. But it’s something that I’m looking forward to so much, it’s an exciting time of year as a golfer, and for me this year, heading towards April is a real buzz and going to be something I’m really looking forward to.

Any chance your father might get to make that trip with you beforehand?

Hopefully, yeah, he’s going to come over before. He’s never played, so love to have him play and hopefully we can get that in before Masters week.